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Sunday, January 22, 2017

No other hoaxer has captured the imagination of anti-Masons quite like Marie Joseph Gabriel Antoine Jogand-Pagès or commonly known as Leo Taxil. No Mason has been the target and focus of so many anti-Masonic propaganda like Albert Pike. Pike is most well-known for his reform in the rituals of the Scottish Rite and publication of "Morals & Dogma." With anti-Masons, however, his importance is often exaggerated and they refer to him as the "Pope of Freemasonry."

Among the accusations held against Albert Pike and Freemasonry is the absurd claim that Albert Pike predicted three World Wars back in the 19th century and which tie back to Leo Taxil. Per William Guy Carr, Pike wrote a letter to Giuseppe Mazzini on August 15, 1871, supposedly stating the following:

The First World War must be brought about in order to permit the Illuminati to overthrow the power of the Czars in Russia and of making that country a fortress of atheistic Communism. The divergences caused by the "agentur" (agents) of the Illuminati between the British and Germanic Empires will be used to foment this war. At the end of the war, Communism will be built and used in order to destroy the other governments and in order to weaken the religions.

The Second World War must be fomented by taking advantage of the differences between the Fascists and the political Zionists. This war must be brought about so that Nazism is destroyed and that the political Zionism be strong enough to institute a sovereign state of Israel in Palestine. During the Second World War, International Communism must become strong enough in order to balance Christendom, which would be then restrained and held in check until the time when we would need it for the final social cataclysm.

The Third World War must be fomented by taking advantage of the differences caused by the "agentur" of the "Illuminati" between the political Zionists and the leaders of Islamic World. The war must be conducted in such a way that Islam (the Moslem Arabic World) and political Zionism (the State of Israel) mutually destroy each other. Meanwhile the other nations, once more divided on this issue will be constrained to fight to the point of complete physical, moral, spiritual and economical exhaustion...We shall unleash the Nihilists and the atheists, and we shall provoke a formidable social cataclysm which in all its horror will show clearly to the nations the effect of absolute atheism, origin of savagery and of the most bloody turmoil. Then everywhere, the citizens, obliged to defend themselves against the world minority of revolutionaries, will exterminate those destroyers of civilization, and the multitude, disillusioned with Christianity, whose deistic spirits will from that moment be without compass or direction, anxious for an ideal, but without knowing where to render its adoration, will receive the true light through the universal manifestation of the pure doctrine of Lucifer, brought finally out in the public view. This manifestation will result from the general reactionary movement which will follow the destruction of Christianity and atheism, both conquered and exterminated at the same time.

So many from these words have damned Freemasonry in general and Albert Pike specifically. This fabrication dates to Leo Taxil who was cited by Edith Starr Miller and later by Cardinal Caro y Rodriguez who was cited by William Guy Carr. In "Pawns in the Game" Carr claims that these Pike-Mazzini letters were on display in the British Museum, but never provided any proof to this assertion. He then back-peddled in a later book called "Satan, Prince of this World" where Carr stated:

The Keeper of Manuscripts recently informed the author that this letter is NOT catalogued in the British Museum Library. It seems strange that a man of Cardinal Rodriguez's knowledge should have said that it WAS in 1925.

It seems reckless that anyone would make such an accusation without fact checking first, but it seems to me that Carr is trying to shift the blame onto Rodriguez rather than admitting to lying about the letters. This is particularly true since Carr quoted directly from Rodriguez and he never mentioned a prediction about three world wars. Carr's book, along with continuing the historical fiction of the Pike-Mazzini hoax, includes the ridiculous notion that the Illuminati merged with Freemasonry at the 1782 Congress of Wilhelmsbad.

Most anti-Masonic argument lie solely on these "predictions" while failing to realize that Carr's mention, the most well-known, mention, of Pike and three world wars came after two of the world wars had already occurred. As for the third world war, it doesn't seem far-fetched that someone could see the coming conflict with the Middle East, but maybe that is just my hindsight kicking in. Western powers had carved up the Middle East and repeated the same imperial policies they employed with Africa, so it didn't take much of a genius to see that problems were on the horizon.

Most anti-Masons will refuse to believe that Pike didn't predict three world wars and that this conspiracy was invention accommodated post factum. This conspiracy is repeated in ad-nauseam by conspiracy theorists who aim to expose Freemasonry as puppet masters or at least implicated in using major wars to usher in a "new world order" and destroy the Christian religion. The more I look at various anti-Masonic conspiracy theories, the more I realize it is not just ignorance that fuels many of the conspiracy theories against Freemasonry, but bigotry...just pure, unadulterated hatred. It reminds me of quote from "Obsession: Radical Islam's War Against the West" where Abd Al-Hamid Al-Ansari, former Dean of Islamic Law at Qatar University, points out that fanaticism begets extremism, which leads to violence and results in terrorism. It's tragic to see so many literally falling for a hoax that is well over a century old. Too bad for conspiracy theorists that these "letters" do not stand up to scrutiny.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

Today marks the 131st Anniversay of the consecreation of Quatuor Coronati Lodge #2076 in London, England. This Lodge is the premier Research Lodge around the world with the following aims:

To develop and maintain an interest in Masonic research by presenting and discussing papers in Lodge, and publishing papers and comments in Ars Quatuor Coronatorum (‘AQC’), the Lodge’s Transactions

To enlist the support and cooperation of Masonic scholars globally and thereby to maintain research standards.

Quatuor Coronati Lodge #2076 was founded by the following Brothers: Charles Warren, William Harry Rylands, Robert Freke Gould, Rev. Adolphus Frederick Alexander Woodford, Walter Besant, John Paul Rylands, Maj. Sisson Cooper Pratt, William James Hughan, and George William Speth. They desired to establish a evidence-based standard for historical research and to cultivate an interest in their fellow Masons into researching and presenting their papers to their Lodges. The Lodge was founded on November 28th, 1884, but due to the absence of the Founding Worshipful Master (Charles Warren), who was on a diplomatic mission in Africa, the Lodge was not consecrated until January 12th, 1886.

The Lodge's name comes from Latin meaning "Four Crowned Ones." They took this name from the Regius Poem which is the first known Masonic text. It consists of 64 written pages in poetic form. The poem begins by evoking Euclid and his invention of geometry in ancient Egypt and then the spreading of the art of geometry in "divers lands." This is followed by fifteen points for the master concerning both moral behavior and the operation of work on a building site. There are then fifteen points for craftsmen which follow a similar pattern. The general consensus on the age of the document dates its writing to between the late 1300s and the middle of the 15th century, and from internal evidence its author appears to have been a West of England clergyman. The manuscript was recorded in various personal inventories as it changed hands until it came into possession of the Royal Library, which was donated to the British Museum in 1757 by King George II to form the nucleus of the present British Library. The significance of the document as relating to Freemasonry was not realized until it was featured in an article on Freemasonry by James Halliwell in 1840. The text of the document states that Freemasonry was brought to England during the reign of King Athelstan from 924 to 939. The manuscript is presently held by the British Library in the Royal Manuscript Collection.

The legend of the Quatuor Coronati occurs during the reign of the Roman Emperor Dioletion. There were four craftsmen, named Claudius, Castorius, Simphorianus, and Nicostratus, who converted to Christianity secretly. Christianity was negatively looked upon by the Romans since the Empreror Nero had blamed the fire that destroyed much of Rome in 64 AD on Christians. The legend goes that Diocletion ordered a statue of Asclepius, god of medicine, to be made and the the Quatuor Coronati refused to do so due to their faith. They were taken before the Tribune, Lampadius, who ordered them stripped and whipped with Scorpions. The Scorpion is also referred to as the Roman Flagrum or Roman Scourge. It is a short whip made of two or three leather ropes tied to a handle. Along each of the leather ropes are knotted with small pieces of metal or bone that quickly remove skin from the victim. After being whipped, the Quatuor Coronati were then placed in leaden coffins and cast into the Tiber River. Nicodemus is said to have recovered the coffins from the river and re-interred them at his house. There are other variations with this, but they all surround four craftsman (sometimes 2 pairs of them) being suppressed and put to death for their Christian faith. They are remembered for their expertise as stone masons and for staying true to their principles. The Roman Catholic Church remembers them as martyrs of the faith and November 8 each year is dedicated to them, as it is said they were killed on that date in 298 AD.

If you are interested in joining, please visit this website: http://qccc.subscribeonline.co.uk/membership

Monday, January 2, 2017

In the York Rite Sovereign College of North America, the basic unit of organization is the College. The officers of a York Rite College are Governor, Deputy Governor, Chancellor, Primate, Preceptor, Seneschal, Marshal, and Sentinel. The Governor, Deputy Governor, and Chancellor are elected officers while the rest are appointed by the Governor. These officers represent officials present at the assembly called by King Athelstan in 926 AD, this legend which comprises the central myth of the order.

The Governor is the presiding officer of a York Rite College. The origin of this word is found with the Latin word "gubernatorem" meaning "director or ruler", but the word originally translated as "steersman or pilot". Both meanings are applicable to a Governor as the governor is someone elected or appointed to rule or direct a particular institution or society. Historically, governors were representatives of monarchs often in colonial areas or over an institution such as a bank or a prison. Today, a governor is often a public official in the executive branch of a sub-national level of government. The power and authority may vary between individual governors, but in all cases, they act as the chief executive officer.

The second-in-command of a College is the Deputy Governor who presides in the absence of the Governor. Deputy comes from the word the Late Latin word "deputare" meaning "to esteem or consider as." In this way, the Deputy Governor is to be considered as the Governor, particularly in the absence of that officer. Deputy Governors are sometimes referred to as Lieutenant Governors and their duties can often vary. In the United States, these Lieutenant Governors are in the line of succession in the state government, serve as the presiding officer of the upper house of the state legislature, and, in some states that do not have a Secretary of State, the Lieutenant Governor fills those duties. In monarchies, deputy governors and lieutenant governors serve as the representative of the monarch and serve as the executive officer of the kingdom in that region.

The Chancellor is the third-in-command and, in essence, is the chief operations officer of the York Rite College. Chancellor stems from the Late Latin word "cancellarius" translating as "keeper of the barrier, secretary, usher of a law court." The duties coincide with this etymological root as they traditionally served as secretary to a monarch or noble. In the French monarchies, the Chancellor was the keeper of the seals or presided over the Parliament. Today you see this title used to describe the president of some universities or the person in charge of financial or economic issues.

The Primate is the senior appointed officer and who is comparable to the Chaplain in the Blue Lodge. Primate comes from the Latin word "primas" meaning "of the first rank, chief, or principal" and is a title used to designate high ranking bishops in some Christian churches. It is used in several ways, but the most common use of this title is to refer to a Bishop who has authority over many other Bishops in a region, although today, the title of Primate is merely honorific. This authority is often administratively as Bishops are considered first among equals.

The next officer in the College is the Preceptor who can be seen to resemble the Master of Ceremonies, an officer that is used in some Blue Lodges. The word preceptor originates from the Latin word "praeceptor" meaning "teacher or instructor." Whether in its historical use or in the modern sense of the word, a Preceptor is an expert or specialist. Today, it is used to denote a medical or legal specialist. Historically, a Preceptor was in charge or in the chain of command of Christian military orders such as the Knights Templar, Knights Hospitaller, and Teutonic Knights.

Next in line is the Seneschal who has duties that are seen with the Sr. Deacon, Jr. Deacon, and Marshal of the Blue Lodge. The etymology of "Seneschal" comes from the Proto-Germanic words sini, meaning senior, and skalk, meaning servant. Seneschal literally means 'senior servant'. Historically in France, the seneschal would be sometime the personal representative of the King charged with dispensing justice and administrative duties. In other kingdoms, seneschals oversaw feasts and domestic ceremonies. They would seem to be close to stewards in this regard. Other duties would include managing the property and finances of the Lord under who they served. Within the Knights Templar, this officer served as the "right-hand man" of the Grand Master and his chief duties surrounded the oversight of much of the administrative operation, acting as an adviser to the Grand Master, and acted as head of the Order in his absence.

The fourth appointed officer is known as the Marshal and it would be obvious to say that there is a connection with the duties of this officer with that of the officer within the Blue Lodge. The title Marshal has been used by the military, courts, and other parts of society as someone who is charged arranging and directs "ceremonial aspects of a gathering." Marshall comes from Old French word "mareschal" meaning "commanding officer of an army; officer in charge of a household" which is derived from Frankish-Germanic word "marhskalk" meaning "horse-servant." The medieval Knights Templar denominated their third-in-command as Marshal was in charge of the troops and advised the Grand Master on all things relative to the war effort.

The final appointed officer of the York Rite College is called the Sentinel and whose duties correspond with that of the Tyler in the Blue Lodge. The word Sentinel stems from the Latin word "sentire" meaning "to watch or perceive by the senses." The Sentinel is one who stands guard over some kind of structure, whether it be an installation, a gate, or a passage. It is there job to prevent intrusion by enemy or those unauthorized.

References

1. Boudinhon, A. (1911). Primate. In The Catholic Encyclopedia. New York: Robert Appleton Company. Retrieved January 2, 2017 from New Advent: http://www.newadvent.org/cathen/12423b.htm